The present invention relates to a multi-chambered inflatable bags and particularly to a method of making such bags.
Inflatable flotation bags, such as the type employed to maintain helicopters or the like afloat on water, are often characterized by a subdivided main inflation chamber. These subdivisions or subchambers are usually made fluidly independent of one another so that in the event of puncture or tear of the outer wall, only a single subchamber will deflate leaving remaining subchambers pressurized to maintain a sufficient buoyancy.
Depending upon the number of subchambers desired, multi-chambered flotation bags can comprise at least one air impervious longitudinal wall or bulkhead dividing the bag into two separate longitudinal subchambers. Such a structure is often formed by simply adhering a pair of inflatable tubes together along portions of the tube outer walls. The longitudinal subchambers can be further divided by disposing one or more walls across each of the longitudinal subchambers.
The fabrication of multi-chambered flotation bags can be difficult when considering that each subchamber is to be fluidly independent. The manner by which the chambers are subdivided and the means used to achieve subdivision sometimes results in a bulky internal structural design which prevents the bag from being easily handled for folding and packing. Also, if a flotation bag is fabricated by joining smaller subcomponent bags to effect a multi-chambered interior, the assembly operation is difficult and cumbersome sometimes requiring special equipment such as building forms or mandrels.